


Broken Clocks

by helsinkibaby



Category: Law & Order UK
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 20:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1721063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even a broken clock is right twice a day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken Clocks

“So, how is she?”

Ronnie didn’t miss how Matt startled when he asked the question, almost as if he’d been in another world. Which, Ronnie admitted to himself, he probably very well had been ever since they’d left the CPS office.

“How’s who?” he asked, an attempt at guile, and it was all Ronnie could do not to roll his eyes.

“The Queen Mum, who’d you think? Alesha.” Matt looked sheepish, and fearing he’d said too much, Ronnie shrugged as he continued. “I mean, trial’s coming up, and there’s not exactly an air-tight case against Merrick... must be hard for her.”

Matt shrugged, eyes once again far away. “Yeah. She’s... I dunno. OK, I think.”

Ronnie nodded, continued walking for another couple of paces before asking his next, more pertinent question. “So, how long have you been carrying a torch for her then?”

Matt stopped in his tracks, turned amazed eyes on him. “Carrying a torch?” he echoed, and there was the ghost of a smile on his face, amusement in his eyes.

“Well I’m sorry if I’m not up with the terminology you young folks are using,” Ronnie said, “But I thought, under the circumstances, asked how long you’ve fancied the knickers off her mightn’t be appropriate.”

Matt grimaced, which Ronnie took as agreement. He expected Matt’s next words to be an attempt to distract Ronnie, to change the subject, but instead what he heard was, “Is it that obvious?”

Ronnie lifted one eyebrow. “Well, if it wasn’t, it was once you played the whole ‘as a woman’ card with Chandler.” It might have been the wind, but he could have sworn that Matt was blushing at the memory. “I’m telling you, son, you might as well have taken out an ad on the side of a double decker. Would have done the same job but with much less risk to your career.” Matt grinned at that, shook his head as he rubbed a hand over his chin. “But for all that, you’ve not answered my original question Matty boy... how long?”

He could see Matt struggling with words, and waited patiently. What came out surprised him, and maybe from the tone of Matt’s voice, surprised even himself. “Since I first met her.”

Ronnie chuckled. “You kept that quiet.”

Matt shot him a look. “Wouldn’t you? We work with her all the time, it’s not like I want her thinking I’m some sort of...” His voice trailed off, but Ronnie could guess where he was going.

“Someone who takes advantage? Someone like Merrick?” When Matt nodded, all Ronnie could do was chuckle sadly. “You’re not that fella, Matt... and Alesha knows that.”

“She sees me as a mate.”

“The first Mrs Brooks saw me as a mate. For that matter, so did the second.” It happened to be true, but too late Ronnie realised how that sounded. “Not helping, am I?”

“Not really.” Matt shook his head. “I just wish there was something I could do for her.”

Ronnie shrugged. “Be there. Be her mate. And eventually, when there’s enough water under the bridge, see how things go then.”

Matt tilted his head, considered it. “You know, that’s not actually bad advice.”

“Well, broken clocks and all that.” It was the best that Ronnie could come up with, and it made Matt’s eyes go far away again, made him sigh. Ronnie could count on the fingers of one hand the amount of times he’d heard Matt sound like that, and he realised for the first time just how bad the younger man had it.

“I hope you’re right,” Matt murmured, more to himself than Ronnie probably.

For his sake, Ronnie hoped he was too.  



End file.
